{Reference Type}: Journal Article
{Title}: Precise evaluation of blood flow patterns in human carotid bifurcation based on high-frame-rate vector flow imaging.
{Author}: Hong S;Dong Y;Song D;Liu M;Gao W;Li W;Wan Y;Du Y;Xu J;Dong F;
{Journal}: J Clin Ultrasound
{Volume}: 51
{Issue}: 6
{Year}: 2023 Jul-Aug 18
{Factor}: 0.869
{DOI}: 10.1002/jcu.23489
{Abstract}: <B>OBJECTIVE: </B>To investigate the feasibility of high-frame-rate vector flow imaging (HiFR-VFI) compared to ultrasound color Doppler flow imaging (CDFI) for precisely evaluating flow characteristics in the carotid bifurcation (CB) of presumed healthy adults.<BR><B>METHODS: </B>Forty-three volunteers were assessed for flow characteristics and their extensions using HiFR-VFI and CDFI in CBs. The flow patterns were classified according to the streamlines in HiFR-VFI and quantitatively measured using an innovative turbulence index (Tur-value). Interobserver agreement was also assessed.<BR><B>RESULTS: </B>HiFR-VFI was consistent with CDFI in detecting laminar and nonlaminar flow in 81.4% of the cases; however, in 18.6% of the cases, only HiFR-VFI identified the nonlaminar flow. HiFR-VFI showed a larger extension of complex flow (0.37 ± 0.26 cm2 ) compared to CDFI (0.22 ± 0.21 cm2 ; p < 0.05). The flow patterns were classified into four types: 3 type-I (laminar flow), 35 type-II (rotational flow), 27 type-III (reversed flow), and 5 type-IV (complex flow). The Tur-value of type-IV (50.03 ± 14.97)% is larger than type-III (44.57 ± 8.89)%, type-II (16.30 ± 8.16)%, and type-I (1.48 ± 1.43)% (p < 0.05). Two radiologists demonstrated almost perfect interobserver agreement on recognizing the change of streamlines (κ = 0.81, p < 0.001). The intraclass correlation coefficient of the Tur-value was 0.98.<BR><B>CONCLUSIONS: </B>HiFR-VFI can reliably characterize complex hemodynamics with quantitative turbulence measurement and may be an auxiliary diagnostic tool for assessing atherosclerotic arterial disease.